Veding-machine.



J. N. WHITEHOUSE. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1914. RENEWED OCT.- I0, 1916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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' Inventor:

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J. N. WHHEHOUSE.

VENDING MACHINE. APPucmou 111.211 1u1v 15, 1914. 11211121150 OCT. 10. 1916.

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J. N WHITEHOUSE.

\'END|NG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED mm 15. 1914. RENEWED OCT. 10.1916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916; w g s SHEETS-SHEET a JOHN N. WHITEHOUSE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ROTARY VENDING MACHINE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Patented Dec. 12, 19116..

Application filed July 15, 1914., Serial No. 851,056. Renewed October 10, 1916. Serial No. 124,922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN N. Wnrrnrrousn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vending machines adapted for use in connection with chewing gum, small pieces of chocolate or the like articles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the kind referred to characterized by the simplicity of its construction and consequent cheapness to manufacture.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus in which the operations of adjustment and recharging may be accomplished quickly and with facility.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described with a guard or closure for the coin slot, whereby the deposit of coins within the machine, after the supply of gum or other articles is exhausted, is prevented.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less broad than those stated, will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts, and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification and in which I have shown a merely preferred form of embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, some of the interior parts being shown in dotted and broken lines; Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; for better illustration, a piece of gum is shown in the uppermost compartment of the gumcarrier. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 41.& of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, some of the parts being broken away; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the handle after it has been moved in the direction indicated by the arrow to the position shown; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts in the positions which they respectfully assume when the handle is in. the extreme alternate position; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the machine, part of the casing be ing broken away to reveal the coin-slot closure or guard, which is shown in the open position, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing certain of the parts shown in Fig. 7 but with the coin-slot closure in the alternate or closed position.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, the mechanism of the apparatus is mounted and inclosed within a circular casing 1 having a front end 2, to which is secured, within the casing, as by means of a rivet 3, a cylindrical member or hub at, which serves as a bearing for certain of the rotating parts of the mechanism hereinafter described.

Depending from the bottom of the casing 1 is a compartment 5, into which the gum or other article is delivered upon the proper manipulation of the machine. The side walls of this compartment 5 are cut away on the front to form finger openings 6, into which the purchaser may insert his fingers to remove the delivered piece of gum.

The rear of the casing 1 is closed by means of a circular cover 8 which is provided near the top and somewhat oif the vertical diameter, with a lug 9 adapted to engage a slot 10 similarly positioned on the side of the casing 1. Near the bottom of the circular cover 8, and diametrically opposite to the lug 9 there is formed integrally with the cover 8 a depending lug 11 bent at right angles to form an car 12 having an aperture 14 therein, which registers with a similar aperture 15 in an ear 16 bent up from a lug 17 that depends from the bottom of the casing 1. The link of a padlock 18 passes through the registering apertures 14: and 15 of the ears 12 and 16 and serves to lock the cover 8 to the casing 1 after the lug 9 has been passed through the slot 10.

The cover 8 is provided with a central aperture 7 therethrough, through which a screw 20 may be introduced to secure the cover 8 to a mounting or support for the machine, such as a post or wall or the back of a theater chair.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the operr between the disks 21 and 31 a to the casing 1.

of there is movement against ating mechanism is inclosed within the easing 1, and it comprises a disk 21 having a central aperture of such size that it may have a sliding fit over the hub member 4 on which it is rotatable. From the periphery of the disk 21 there extends a handle 22 which protrudes through a slot 24 in the casing 1. The disk 21 has struck up from its surface a lug 25 and a lug 26, the former on the periphery and the latter near the center,the lug 26 being adapted to engagev with a coin C to push it into engaging-position relatively to other parts hereinafter described. Both of these lugs 25 and 26 project toward the front of the casing 1. A rearwardly extending lug 27 is struck down from the disk 21 and forms an anchorage for one end of the spring 28, the other end of which is secured to the outer surface of the hub 4. The periphery of the disk 21 is also cut away to provide a segmental opening 29 which registers with a spring tooth or pawl 30 formed on the periphery of a second disk 31 which is also rotatably mounted on the hub 4, close up to and touching the front end 2 of the casing 1. This disk 31 has formed on its surface and near the periphery a lug 32 which projects rearwardly in the path of the lug 25 on the disk 21. It is also provided with a. lug 34, projecting rearwardly, which serves asa guide for the coin C when the latter is deposited through the coin slot 35 formed in the casing 1 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The disk 31 is furthermore provided with a rearwardly projecting lug 36, which is bent over one end of the spring 37, the other end of said spring being secured All of the forwardly extending lugs on the disk 21 and the lugs on the disk 31 are of such extent as to maintain space the widthof which is equally substantial to the thickness of a coin 9 (see Fig. 3) such as will operate the machine.

Mounted on the disk 31 near the top thereprovided a spring-pressed locking pawl 38, pivoted on a pin 39 in the disk 31. The locking pawl 38 has formed on its lower end a nose 40 adapted to be engaged by the coinC in such manner as to rock the pawl on its pivot 39. The locking pawl 38 has on its upper end an arcuate surface and a tip 42, with which engage a pin 44 mounted on'the inside of the end piece 2 of the casing 1. A lug 45 on the disk 31 is adapted to form a stop for the tip 42 to limit its its spring tension (see Fig. 6).

The disk 31 is cut away on its periphery to form abutments 46 and 47 which limit the movement of the disk 31 with respect to the pin 44 in either direction. To the rear of the disks 21 and 31 there is mounted for rotation on the hub 4 an article carrier in the form of a disk 48 having a hub 49 which rotates 011 the member 4. This disk 48 has integrally formed lingers 50 which extend rearwardly from the disk 48, forming between them compartments 51, each of which is adapted to accommodate one piece of gum or the like 9, see Fig. 4. In the embodiment shown, the disk 48 provides twenty-four compartments, and when fully charged will carry twenty-three pieces of gum, one of the ompartments of course being left empty, that is to say, the one which registers with the delivery compartment 5 at the beginning of operations. ()n the periphery of the disk 48 there are formed teeth 52 which project forwardly in the path of the spring-tooth or pawl 30, the latter being carried by the disk 31 and being free to play in the opening or slot 29 of the disk 21, whereby the teeth 52 of the rotatable magazine will be engaged by the pawl 30. The teeth 52 and the lingers 50 may be formed from the disk 48 of the magazine by very simple pressing and stamping operations and in themselves and in their relation to the disk constitute important features of the invention. One of the teeth 52 has an extension 54 which is positioned farther away from the center of the disk than are the other teeth. This extension 54 is intended to engage the depending lug 53 formed on a coin-slot closure 55 that is pivoted at 56 to the casing 1, in such manner as to cover the coin slot 35 when the supply of vendible articles is exhausted. Normally the closure 55, which is in the form of a flat piece shaped as shown, is in an open position (Fig. 7) being held there by means of a spring 57, one end of which is engaged to the ear 60 formed on the piece 55, while the other end of the spring 57 is attached to the casing 1.

In operation, the machine having been properly assembled, the cover 8 is secured to some mounting, as by means of the screw 20. The rotatable article carrier is now rotated so as to bring its long tooth 54 into a position where it has passed the lug 53 on the closure piece 55, whereby the closure piece is left in the open position shown in Fig. 7. The compartments 51 are then filled with gum, with the exception of the compartment then registering with the delivery member 5. The slot 10 in the casing 1 is now registered with the lug 9 on the cover 8 and slipped down so as to bring the apertures 14 and 15 in the ears 12 and 17 respectively into registry, whereupon the padlock is placed in position and looked as shown in Fig. 1. The machine is now ready for vending, and when a coin is inserted in the slot 35 it will drop down, striking the guide 34 on the disk 31, and falling into position in front of the lug 26 on the disk 21. The purchaser then moves the handle 22 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1, which is the same as the direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The handle being integral with the disk 21, the latter rotates on its bearing 4, and the lug 26 pushes the coin along until it engages the nose on the locking pawl 38, rocking this pawl on its pivot 39 until the surface 41 is clear of the pin 44, this position being shown in Fig. 5. Further movement of the handle 22 brings the lug 25 on the disk 21 into engagement with the lug 32 on the disk 31, and at this point in the operation the locking pawl 38 is clear of the pin 44 and the coin G will have dropped through a slot 58 formed in the member 4 into the interior 59 of said member 4. The lug 25 next engages with the lug 32 to rotate the disk 31, which carries the spring tooth 30, and the latter then engages one of the teeth 52 on the disk portion 48 of the article carrier. The movement of the handle 22 is continued until the abutment 47 on the disk 31 strikes the pin 44, this being the limit of the stroke and so arranged as to bring the next compartment 51 into registry with the delivery compartment 5, into which the article 9 drops into position where it may be readily reached and abstracted by the purchaser. The handle 22 being released, the spring 37 returns the disk 31 to its normal position, the locking pawl 38 having sprung past the pin 44 and the abutment 46 now engaging the pin 44. The spring 28 then carries the disk 21 back to its normal position, this being determined by the extent of the slot 24 in the casing 1. After twenty-two pieces of gum or other articles have been vended (assuming that the machine originally contained twenty-three pieces), the extension 54 will be in position as shown in Fig. 7 but when the last coin is inserted and the machine operated and released, the parts constituting the coin-slot closure will assume the position shown in Fig. 8, the extension 54 engaging with the cam surface formed on the lug 53. In Fig. 7 the extension 54 is ready to engage this cam surface on the lug 53, the other teeth 52 being of insufiicient length to engage the lug 53, so that they pass under it Without afi'ecting it in any way. The extension 54 having been moved to its next position, it will still engage the lug 53 and hold the closure piece 55 under the coin slot 35 against the tension of the spring 57.

Preferably I provide a suitable spring detent 62 engaging the teeth 52 to prevent over-rotation of the article carrier and also to prevent backward rotation thereof.

Inasmuch as many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended tocover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a circular casing having a coin slot in its periphery and a centrally arranged bearing member, of a pair of disks mounted to oscillate upon said bearing member, spring means for actuating each of said disks in one direction, a manually operable means for actuating one of said disks against the tension of its spring, a fixed member carried by the casing, a locking pawl carried by the other of said disks, and arranged to engage said fixed member, said disks being sufficiently spaced apart to permit of the entry of a coin be tween them, a projection carried by the manually operable disk arranged to engage a coin and to cause it to travel around said central bearing member, said locking pawl being arranged in the path of movement of said coin and being arranged to be released thereby from said fixed member, and interengaging lugs carried by said disks and ar ranged to engage with each other, whereby a movement of the manually operated disk is imparted to the other of said disks after said pawl is released.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a circular casing having a coin slot formed in its periphery, a centrally arranged hollow hub having a coin slot formed in its periphery in alinement with the first named coin slot, a pair of disks mounted to oscillate upon said hub and sufficiently spaced upon opposite sides of said coin slots to permit of the entry of a coin between them, a fixed element carried by the casing, a pivoted pawl carried by one of said disks and arranged to engage said fixed element, means carried by the other of said disks for engaging a coin deposited between said disks, said pawl being arranged in the path of movement of said coin and being arranged to be released from said fixed element by the movement of said coin, spring means for actuating said disks in one direction, interengaging lugs carried by said disks, the lugs of one disk projecting toward the other of said disks to thereby space them apart, said lugs serving when said pawl is released, to permit of the actuation of the pawl carrying disk from the other of said disks.

3. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin receptacle, and a rotatable magazine, of a plurality of rotatable members 7 With members being With a casing having a coin mounted for rotation on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of said coin receptacle, said members being relatively separated to produce between them a space the width of which substantially exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned intermediate said members, means for controlling the rotative movement of said members, and means operated by the rotative movement of the members for imparting a step feed to said magazine.

a. In a vending machine, the combination a coin receptacle, and a magazine, of a plurality of rotatable members mounted for rotation on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of said coin receptacle, said relatively separated to pr0- duce an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned betwen said members, means whereby the rotation of one member relatively to and independently of the other member operates to carry a coin to the coin receptacle, and means operable by the conjoint rotation of said members for controlling the delivery of goods from said zine.

5. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin receptacle, plurality of rotatable members relatively spaced to produce an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned therein, means for imparting movement to one member, means for carrying a coin to the coin receptacle by said movement of the member, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for controlling the delivery of goods from said magazine.

6. In a vending machine, the combination inlet, of a coin receptacle the inlet to which is out of register With said inlet to the casing, a rotatable magazine, a plurality of cooperating members positioned to receive between them a coin deposited in the inlet to said casing, one of said members being rotatable relatively to the other member for moving a coin from the inlet to the casing and depositing said coin to the inlet of the receptacle,-means operated by one member for releasing the other member and for imparting rotative movement to said other member conjointly with the movement of the first member, and feeding means operable by the conjoint movement of said members for imparting rotative movement to said magazine.

In a'vending machine, the combination with a casing having a coin inlet, and a coin receptacle provided with a coin inlet out of register with said inlet to the casing, of an article carrier operable for the successive delivery of articles therefrom, checking and controlling means cooperating with said article carrier, said checking and controlling and a magazine, of a means embodying a plurality of cooperating members positioned for receiving a coin be tween them and one of said members being provided with means "for manually operatin the same, a dog for locking said members, said dog being coin released, means whereby the rotative movement of one member is communicated independently of the coin to the other member so that the coin is delivered to the coin receptacle without making free one member from the other member, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said members for operating the article carrier so as to eli'ect the delivery of an article.

8. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin receptacle, of an article carrier rotatable with respect to said coin reccptaole, a plurality of cooperating members each mounted independently of the other for rotative movement with respect to said coin receptacle and to the article carrier, means for separately applying tension to said in dependently rotative members, means for locking said members, said locking means being coin-released, said cooperating members and said locking means operating conjointly to carry and deliver a coin to said receptacle, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said members for imparting rotative movement to said article carrier.

9. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin receptacle, and a. magazine, of a plin'ality of rotatable members relatively separated to produce an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned therein, means for imparting rotative movement to one member, means whereby the rotative movement of the first member is com1nunicated to the second member, means operated by the movement of the first member for carrying a coin to the coin receptacle, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said members for controlling the delivery of goods from said magazine.

10. In a vending machine, the co1nbil1ation of a hollow hub provided with a coin inlet, said hub operating as a coin receptacle, a rotary magazine mounted upon said hub for rotative movement with respect thereto, a plurality of cooperating members each mounted independently of the other for rotative movement 'ith respect to each other and to said article carrier, coin-operated means for locking and releasing said members whereby a coin is carried for a definite distance and is delivered by the members to said hollow hub, and means operable by the conjoint movement of said members for imparting rotative movement to said article carrier.

11. In a vending machine, the combination of a hollow hub serving as a coin receptacle, said hub being provided with a coin inlet, an article carrier mounted upon said hub for rotative movement relatively there to, said article carrier being positioned out of register with the coin inlet, a plurality of cooperating members each mounted for rotative movement relatively to the article carrier and to each other, said members being positioned at opposite sides of the coin inlet and being relatively spaced to receive a coin between themselves so as to ultimately feed said coin to said inlet, means for imparting movement manually to one of said members for advancing the coin to said coin inlet, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said members for imparting rotative movement to said article carrier.

12. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing, and a coin receptacle positioned substantially centrally therein, of a magazine, a rotatable member concentric to the coin receptacle, a spring for imparting rotative movement to said member, a second rotatable member separated relatively to the first rotatable member to produce an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be received between said members, a separate spring for imparting rotative movement to the second rotatable member, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for controlling the delivery of goods from said magazine.

13. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing, and a coin receptacle positioned substantially centrally therein, of a magazine, a rotatable member concentric to the coin receptacle, a second rotatable member separated relatively to the first rotatable member for producing an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be deposited between said members, means for manually operating the first rotatable member, means operable by the first rotatable member for imparting movement to the second rotatable member, and means operable by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for controlling the delivery of goods from said magazme.

14. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing, and a coin receptacle positioned substantially centrally therein, of a magazine, a rotatable member concentric to the coin receptacle, a second rotatable member separated relatively to the first rotatable member for producing an intermediate space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be deposited between said members, means for manually operating the first rotatable member, a locking device for retaining said first named member in a fixed position, said locking device being coin released, means operable by the first named member for imparting movement to the sec- 0nd rotatable member, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for controlling the delivery of goods from said magazine.

15. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing and a coin receptacle positioned substantially centrally therein, of a magazine rotatably mounted upon said coin receptacle, a plurality ofrotatable members each mounted for rotation with respect to each other and to the coin receptacle and the magazine, said members being relatively separated to produce a space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned between said members, means for imparting rotative movement to one rotatable member for feeding a coin to the coin receptacle, means operated by said rotatable member for imparting rotative movement to the other rotatable member, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for imparting a step feed to said magazine.

16. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing and a coin receptacle positioned substantially centrally therein, of a magazine rotatably mounted upon said coin receptacle, a plurality of rotatable members each mounted for rotation with respect to each other and to the coin receptacle and the magazine, said members being relatively separated to produce a space the width of which exceeds the thickness of a coin adapted to be positioned between said members, means for imparting rotative movement to one rotatable member for feeding a coin to the coin receptacle, a locking device for re straining said coin feeding member from movement, said locking device being coin released, means operated by the coin feeding member for imparting rotative movement to the other rotatable member, separate springs for returning said rotatable members to nor mal positions, and means operated by the conjoint movement of said rotatable members for imparting a step feed to said magazine.

In testimony whereof I aiilx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN N. WHITEIIOUSE.

Witnesses:

HELEN V. Frrzra'rmox, MARY II. LEWIS.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D U. 

